Toy railway system



Oct. 21, 1930. P. P. SAUNIER TOY RAILWAY SYSTEM Filed July 11, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l awucntow P- P J a an ier Oct, 21, 1930. P. P. SAUNIER TOY RAILWAY SYSTEM Filed July 11, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J P Jw n er- Patented Oct. 21, 1930 rmnnn r. saunn n', or nioniuonn; vmemia, ,A ssrenon 'ro AJVJIBGIINIIIA 'roYlnrn NOVELTY mnoraorcnme COMPANY, mo; or RICHMOND, vrmnun Application filed ly 11,

.The? present inventionris idirectedto improvements in toy railwaysystems. y

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of this character so con- S structed that a toy locomotive or car can be propelled along 'thetrackway through the medium of a coil; 1 Q 1 Another object of-the invention is to provide a novel form of track for receiving the coil, the construction being such that straight and curvedsections may be used in connection with the propelling element or coil.-

'Another' object of the invention is to provide a device ofthis kind so constructed that the-rotation of the coil canbe reversed in order that the locomotive or [car may be caused to travel in reverse direction. Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this type so constructed that the trackwaymay be placed directly upon the floor one part thereof maintained in an elevated. position.

"Another object of the invention is to providoa device ofthis type wherein thetrack may. be used" in connection with cars or loco: motives equipped with flangeless or flanged wheels. 1

" VJith these and other objects in view, this invention residesin the novel features of construction, formation, combination 1' and an rangernent of parts tobe hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.-

Figure 3 is a sectional view through the housing containing the motor.

Figure 41 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 2.

1 9 Figure 5 is a sectional view through a toy locomotive; showing the arms thereof engaged with the driving coil. v

Figure dis a sectional view showing a modified form of arm. g

Figure 7 is an end view of a modified form of track section.

The trackway consists'of a plurality of sections 1 of determinatelength, some of which are straight while others are curved in order purpose may be used: Each section, is pro;

vided witha longitudinally extending groove 2 and has secured to'its upper facein any approved manner, said plates being bent to provide channels4 which fitin the grooves'5 formed'in the sec? tions, said, channels being for the-purpose-of receiving and guiding the flangeless wheels 6 of the object to be propelled, in this instance representing a toy locomotive, designated by V the numeral 7 It will, of -cou1'se,'be.u11derstoodthat the object may represent a freight or passenger car or a trolley.car,- as desired. The oppos'ededgesY of the plates 3 overhang the groove 2 andare spaced to provide a slot 8,the purpose of which will belater explained. w 1

' Thesectionsl forming the trackway may all rest upon thefloor, if desired, or some of them may be elevated, and in order tomaintain certain sections elevated, I provide sup,- ports 9'which are adapted to engage the'joints' 10 used for connecting the ends of the sections to provide a continuous trackway, The joints-consist ot' bottoms ll and sides 12-, the sides having set screws 13 carried thereby for engagement with the adjacentends of sections engaged therewith, saidset screws having'j'am nuts l i'thereon. V V i The supportsconsist of side bars 15 which are adaptedto have their upper ends engaged with the sides fof the 'j oints, said "bars being connected by ciamping bolts 16 which serve "to hold the upperends thereof clamped'upo'n;

the sides 12, there being removable bracebars 17 between the bars 15 to maintainthesame in parallel relation when. clamped upon the j'oints'10. U g r v I The driving coil 18fof spring Wire -is engaged in'the groove 2 of the sections Whenfa number .of sections f are connected, it being obvious. that thecoil which is flexible will adjust itself to the curved sections. @The. overhanging portions of the plates I 3 .will

complementary. plates 3,

prevent accidental disengagement of the coil 18 from the grooves of the respective sections.

Vhen the sections are connected by the joints a continuous groove is provided for receiving the coil 18, the length of which will, of course, be governed by the number of sections used. At one end of the coil is mounted a housing 19 which may represent a depot or power house and in which is mounted an electric motor 20, the shaft 21 thereof being connected to the coil 18 in any approved manner. Current may be furnished for operating the motor from any suitable source. Obviously, the motor when operating will rotate the coil 18, and since the motor is of a conventional reversible type, the rotation of the coil 18 can be reversed.

The locomotive 7 is provided with a pair of cross pins 22 and 23, to which are pivotal- 1y connected the upper ends of arms 24 and 25, respectively, said arms being of such length as to permit their lower ends to pass through the slots 8 of the respective sections for engagement with the turns of the coil 18. It will be observed upon reference to Figure 5, that the arms 24 and 25 are adapted to engage the axles 26 of the locomotive upon the confronting sides thereof.

As shown in Figure 5, the arm 25 is the one which is propelling the locomotive 7, when the coil 18 is rotating clockwise and since this arm rests against the adjacent axle 26 the locomotive will be compelled to travel over the trackway during rotation of the coil. When it is desired to reverse the travel of the locomotive, the motor 20 is reversed so that the coil will rotate anti-clockwise and at this time the arm 24 will provide the driving connection with the coil. Obviously, when the arm 25 is acted upon by the coil 18, the arm 24 will remain idle and will have no efiect.

In Figure 6 of the drawings, the locomotive 7 is provided with a single arm 27 which is rigidly connected with the locomotive in any approved manner, said arm being adapted to engage with the turns of the coil 18 and propel the locomotive when the coil is rotated in either direction. IVhile this modified form of arm is practical, it is more desirable to use the pivotally mounted arms, as shown in Figure 5, since the active arm will exert force upon the end of the locomotive whether going forwardly or rearwardly.

In the modified form disclosed in Figure 7, the section 28 is provided with ribs 29 for receiving the inverted channel portions 30 of the plates 31, said channel portions constituting rails for use in connection with cars having flanged wheels. The plates 31 are otherwise constructed and arranged the same as the plates 8.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a trackway having a continuous groove throughout its length, an open flexible coil rotatable in the groove, a wheeled member engageable with the trackway, means carried by said member for engaging the coil to move the member along the trackway during rotation of the coil, and means for rotating the coil.

2. A device of the class described comprising a trackway consisting of a plurality of sections having grooves formed therein, means for connecting the ends of the sections to provide a continuous groove, an open flexible coil rotatable in the groove, a member on the trackway, means carried by the member engageable with the coil to move the member along the trackway during rotation of the coil, and means for rotating the coil.

A device of the class described comprisa trackway consisting of a plurality of sections having grooves therein, plates overhanging the-grooves and spaced to provide a slot opening into the grooves, means for connecting the ends of the sections to form a continuous groove throughout the length of the connected sections, a flexible coil rotata ble in the groove, a member having wheels carried thereby and engageable with the plates, means carried by the member passable through said slot for engagement with the coil to impart movement to the member during rotation of the coil, and means for rotating the coil.

4. A toy railway comprising a track including straight, inclined and curved portions in different planes, and having a continuous groove and slot, a flexible coil in the groove, means for rotating the coil, a car on the track, and a member carried by the car and projecting through the said slot into the groove and engaging the flexible coil to be actuated thereby to propel the car along the track.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

PIERRE P. SAUNIER. a 5. 

